84 arrested in major drug, weapons bust in Philadelphia

A major drug and weapons bust in North Philadelphia has led to dozens of arrests across the city.

Friday morning, the narcotics unit revealed the extent of the sweep and showed us some of what they picked up. A lot of drugs, a lot of drug dealers and a lot of guns are now off the streets as a result.

Police armed with arrest warrants fanned out across the city on Monday to start rounding up the suspects.

It was the result of months of undercover surveillance and drug buys.

They hauled in 84 suspects - 7 of them teenagers. Along with the suspects, the police collected $100,000 worth of illegal drugs and 18 firearms. That includes a 40 caliber Highpoint assault rifle, which is the same kind used in the Columbine massacre.

The drugs reveal a growing trend. The police say they're starting to see more pills, prescription narcotics, along with the cocaine, marijuana and heroin.

This is the third sweep of this kind the police have made this year.

The suspects were picked up from all over the city, not just one concentrated neighborhood. The police say a haul like this makes a significant dent in the drug trade.

However, this is not a one and done deal. This sweep has opened up many more leads and new investigations. Police will also be analyzing the 18 firearms seized to determine if they've been used in other crimes.